Description

Offering scenic views of the Weld region, the Mount Blue Trail leaves from the northern end of the parking area. About a mile from the trailhead a former fire warden’s cabin provides a place for rest and shelter. The remains of an old fire tower are also at the summit. At the top of Mount Blue, the summit provides many great views of the picturesque Weld area. At 3,187 feet, Mount Blue is not the tallest mountain in the Weld area, but it is probably the best known peak in the region. Visible for many miles to the south, it is surrounded and protected by Mount Blue State Park and is nearly as tall as Little and Big Jackson Mountains to the north and a shade taller than Mount Tumbledown to the west. This is a popular hike in any season.

Nearby Events

Trail Tips

Trailhead Information

From South: At the intersection of ME Route 156 with Maine Route 142 in Weld, proceed easterly onto Center Hill Road. Center Hill Road takes a slight left about 0.5 miles from the main roads; follow the signs for the Center Hill Trails and for parking. Continue past the park headquarters and Center Hill Picnic Area for another 3.0 miles on Center Hill Road until you reach another fork in the road. A sign indicates Mount Blue Trail and parking by bearing right onto Mt Blue Road. Follow this road for about 2.5 miles—bearing right at the logging road roughly 1.8 miles from the main fork—to the end where the trailhead and parking are located.

From North: From the intersection of ME Routes 4 and 142 in Philips, follow ME Route 142 south. After about 7.0 miles, ME Route 142 makes a sharp turn to the right; at this point, make a left onto Center Hill Road. After 0.5 miles, Center Hill Road splits; follow the road that forks right. Continue to follow Center Hill Road for another 2.5 miles, and turn a sharp left onto Mt Blue Road. Follow this road for about 2.5 miles—bearing right at the logging road roughly 1.8 miles from the main fork—to the end where the trailhead and parking are located.

In the winter Mt Blue Road is closed at the fork with Center Hill Road, therefore it is necessary to park there at the gate and to hike the extra 2.5 miles along the road to the parking area and trailhead before hiking this trail.

Did this with 3 kids and it took us about 4 hrs start to finish. Very nice views

mainetrailfinder

May 30, 2018

Hikerlady - thanks, we agree that this trail could also be considered advanced, so we've updated its difficulty rating. Happy Trails!

hikerlady

May 28, 2018

Excellent hike- I would put this hike in the moderate/advanced category having hiked many other moderate trails as classified by Maine Trail Finder.

dayhiker82

July 31, 2017

Excellent hike. Just did Sunday. The new tower at the top with the view platform is a nice touch. Gorgeous view from the top. Happy hiking !

navyswomom

August 28, 2016

Beautiful hike, as always. It is a constant climb, very few (aka...none) places that it is rolling or flat. The summit offers all the rewards, beautiful vistas

mainetrailfinder

June 26, 2016

Thanks for the trail update, gopackgo! We have revised the trail length based on your comment. Happy hiking! -MTF Team

gopackgo

June 26, 2016

Regarding the previous warning about blowdowns: We just hiked to the summit in June 2016 and any blowdowns have been cleared. There are no longer any trees blocking the trail anywhere from base to summit. The trail conditions are excellent. Also, my GPS recorded the roundtrip at 3.2 miles, which is consistent with signage and flyers at the park.

switchback

February 09, 2015

As of 2011 there is an observation platform part way up the fire tower, providing excellent views. It looks like there was a microburst during the winter of 2014-2015 - above the old fire warden cabin there is a large patch of deciduous trees with all the tops broken off. Numerous blowdowns block the trail through the coniferous upper section.